Brussel Sprouts - In Pots

[ianoutram]

Having nothing but solid rock in my garden I have to grow everything in either raised beds or pots. This year I am experimenting with sprouts and planted seedlings in 9" pots in late April and they seem to be doing fine, they have plenty of foliage, are about 15" tall and sprouts are starting to appear.

However, flower buds have also started to appear and I am wondering if this means the plants are about to boult before I get my crop.

Any advice, please.

Thanks, Ian

[Lesley Jay]

It certainly sounds as if the plants are going to flower and then seed Ian. Cold weather can kick this off and the evenings have still been cold. I think that really you planted the seedlings out too early. Next year hang on until the end of May / start of June before planting into their final pots outside. They do say that once a vegetable plant flowers that the flavour is ruined and also it can't be stopped flowering but I would keep picking off the flowers and try eating a few of the sprouts when they get to the right size. There's nothing lost in trying them.

[Livebait]

I had my Brussel sprouts bolt on me this year i tried picking off all the flowers and letting the sprouts grow but the sprouts never tighten up they began to open up and a flowering stalk grew right out of the middle of the sprouts before they were near a size i could use.

I think here in the US i'll have better luck starting my plants off in fall and have them ripen in winter?